My thoughts on the Phillies season.

33 games in 31 days: Game #29: The Phils reached the low point as the bullpen melts down in the third as the Phils lose their eighth straight game, 6-3.

After taking a quick lead, the Phils had a five-run meltdown by the bullpen in the third, as the Phils lose their eighth straight game, 6-3.

The Phils took the lead in the second as, with runners on the corners, and with nobody out, Wilson Valdez hits an RBI single, knocking in Ross Gload, who had earlier doubled, then went to third on Brian Schneider’s single, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead, while sending Schneider, who had earlier singled, up to second base. Two batters later, after Joe Blanton had hit into a bunt force out, 1-5, as Schneider is forced out at third base for the inning’s first out, while Valdez would reach second base on the play, while Blanton would be safe at first, the Phils added to their lead as Jimmy Rollins hits an RBI single, scoring Valdez, giving the Phils a 2-0 lead, while sending Blanton up to second base. The Phils then made it a 3-0 lead as, with one man on, and with two men out, Gload hits an RBI double, knocking in Hunter Pence, who had earlier been safe at first on a force out, 1-4, as Chase Utley had earlier reached base on second baseman Justin Turner’s fielding error. The Phils’ then pulled out Blanton before the start of the Mets half of the third, who was doing fine after pitching two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and started auditioning for bullpen spot(s) on the playoff roster, which turned out to have been a mistake. The Mets cut the Phils’ lead down to 3-2 as, with two men on, and with two men out, Willie Harris hits a deep fly ball to right that Pence was unable to catch, scoring Ruben Tejada, who had reached first base on a fielder’s choice, as Jason Pridie, who had earlier singled, then stole second base, was caught in a rundown before being tagged out, 1-4-5-6-4, before reaching second base during the rundown, and Turner, who had earlier walked, before he reached third base. The Mets then tied the game up at three-all two battters later, after David Wright had walked, putting runners on the corners as Nick Evans hits an RBI double, knocking in Harris, while sending Wright up to third. The Mets then took the lead as, with two men on, and with still two men out, Josh Thole hits a two-run single, scoring both Wright and Evans, giving the Mets a 5-3 lead. The Mets then made it a 6-3 lead in the fourth as, with a runner on third, and with one man out, Tejada hits an RBI single, scoring Pridie, who had earlier hit a ground-rule double, then moved up to third on Dillon Gee’s sacrifice bunt, 2-4. That would be the final score as the Phillies were put down easily in the ninth as Manny Acosta collected his fourth save of the season.

Joe Blanton received a no-decision as he went two shutout innings, giving up just a hit, while he struck out three. David Herndon (1-4, 3.38) took the lost as he pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up four unearned run on a hit and two walks, while striking out one. Kyle Kendrick pitched an inning and a third, giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out a batter. Michael Schwimer, Michael Stutes and Justin De Fratus combined for four scoreless innings, striking out six batters (two batters each) between them. Dillon Gee (13-6, 4.43) gets the win as he pitched six innings, giving up three runs on nine hits and two walks, while striking out two. Bobby Parnell collected his eleventh hold of the year as he pitched one and two-third scoreless innings, striking out a batter. Daniel Herrera collected his first hold of the season as he pitched a third of an inning, getting out the only man that he would face. Manny Acosta received his fourth save of the year as he pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk.

The Phils had ten hits in the ballgame, with Jimmy Rollins leading the team with three hits, all singles, knocking in a run. Ross Gload followed with two hits, both doubles, knocking in a run. Shane Victorino (Single), Chase Utley (Double), Brian Schneider (Single), Wilson Valdez (Single, RBI) and pinch hitter Erik Kratz (Single) had the other five Phils’ hits.

The Phils (98-60, 1st) will conclude their series with the Mets (76-82, 4th), with a game in progress, with the Phils in complete control.

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